Time for _________.

Life goes through seasons.  The earth, the solar system, the life of a local church, a city and the hearts of people.  Yes, our hearts go through seasons.  For each and every one of us, there is a season of change coming.  No, I am not being prophetic here, just noticing the pattern.  There is an old saying, "This too shall pass."  That goes for the good and the bad.  If things are good, rest assured, something bad is around the corner.  If things are bad...  Oh, how are things with you? 

But let's take this in a more hopeful direction (because most of us, even if things are going quite well, seem to dwell on the negative and now I have just depressed you).  Life's seasons are not just a series of waves from bad to good.  It is a bit more complicated than that.  There are good things that happen that are actually bad for us and bad things that happen that are actually good for us and all sorts of in-between things too.  But for those found in Christ Jesus; now that's a game changer!

For those of us who find ourselves seated with Christ, "all things are good" and the bad parts of the seasons in our lives are just preamble to blessing.  Take hope in this truth; YOU HAVE A DESTINY AND PURPOSE IN GOD THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY.  No matter what stupid thing we've done to slow down the event horizon; no matter what the circumstances of the past may be saying about your future; no matter what the disappointed people around us think of our current status as sons and daughters of the Living God; no matter what traps and schemes the enemy may throw at us in attempts to thwart God; no matter what, you are destined to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. 

Take all of the negative onslaught of the world system and scoff in its general direction because some day soon, the world is going to take a second look at you because it is having a very difficult time distinguishing between you and Jesus Christ.  This is your destiny.  You have been broken and sifted for a season, but the imperishable seed that was sown in your heart is about to bring forth fruit.  All that rumbling in your tummy that you thought was just your miserable life was, in fact, the germination of the Morning Star preparing to rise in your heart.  Don't give up!

The earth is rumbling, the sky is falling apart, the oceans are raging.  Do you know why?  Not because it is the end of the world!  No!  Because it is the prelude to the dance of the ages when the sons and daughters of God are finally revealed in all of their glory, when the Bride of Christ takes center stage in her majestic beauty and purpose and calls out to her Beloved, "Come!"

What is next for you?  I firmly believe it is time for glory.  You sense it, don't you?  You know you were made for more that worrying about bills, trying to make it through the next day of classes or struggling with that same sin for the rest of your life.  Be bold!  Be strong!  For the Lord, your God, is with you.  He will never leave you and He is going to complete what He has started in you. 

It will look different for all of us.  Some of us will take a step down into awesome destiny because we were going the wrong direction.  Some of us will take a step up because we were too timid.  others of us simply need to trust that we are really what He says we are. 

This week, begin to take some time and seek Him about where He is taking you.  It may be something you've heard before or it may be something new and scary.  Either way, it will be good.

Here is the word that I believe God has given for this upcoming season; "COURAGE".  Think on that.  Regardless of what He whispers or shouts to you concerning where He is taking you, I believe you are going to need courage to get there. 

Next post will take us back to those strong divine weapons that help us overcome enemy strongholds.  Remember, we already spoke about TRUTH.  Next up is FAITH.  I'm seeing how courage plays an integral part in the use of all these weapons.

TRUTH - Our Strongest Divine Weapon

Scripture tells us that we have these "Divine Weapons" that we are supposed to use to tear down spiritual strongholds.

II Corinthians 10:4 "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds."

Just a few thoughts on this and I think we may discuss some more in the next few posts.  It occurs to me that the strongholds we are meant to tear down are obviously not literal castles and forts so much as they are areas in our lives and in our thinking that the enemy as established an overpowering presence and it is hard to get by it.


Before we go any further, let me state that the primary arena for the tearing down of strongholds is in our own hearts.  Yes, we are to go out and tear them down wherever we may find them, but no sense in tackling something somewhere else or in someone else until after you've tackled it in yourself first.

It also occurs to me that there are some weapons that stand out among all of them as super powerful when dealing with darkness.  Knowing me, you might think I'd start with love because I am at heart a Hallmark junkie.  But no!


I believe that the most powerful weapon for demolishing evil strongholds is the TRUTH!  Speak it, live it, love it.  When we encompass ourselves with the truth, we are set free from holds that happen to be strong.  I am not talking about telling the truth wherever you go (though this is a good practice) but I am talking about living a life of truth.  I'm talking about falling in love with the truth.  For instance, don't just give that extra change back to the cashier who gave you too much on accident because you feel guilty.  Give it back because you love seeing truth win.  1 Corinthians 13 tells us that love rejoices in the truth.  That is what it means to love seeing truth win. 

We are not talking about a righteousness that points out other people's lies.  we are talking about a vulnerable transparency in our own lives that compels others to seek the light of Christ and get set free themselves.  Truth is not just something that will set you free from strongholds, it is the most decisive blow in beginning the demolition process.

Think about this too.  If you are wrapped up in truth and it just surrounds you in every way, how can anything untrue get a hold on you.  New strongholds are impossible to form in your heart as it is steeping in the truth.  Only when we listen to and give into the lies are we subject to strongholds of demonic persuasion that lead to fear, doubt, disillusion, depression and ultimately death.  Don't be afraid anymore.  

Let us decide today that we are going to seek the truth in everything we do; that we will embrace truth as a lifestyle and endeavor to learn to love the truth and rejoice in it.

Jesus said, "...If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32)

Hey Tri-state!  Why don't we get together and tear down some strongholds?  

Truth - I really do think you will be able to handle it.

Who Do You Love?

It is a simple question, really.  Who do you love?  If you can answer that question, it gives you the answer to a lot of other questions too. Here are some questions it will answer for you.

What should I do in life?
Where should I go?
Why do I do what I do?
How should I spend my money?
Do I I use the word "do" to much?

Okay, it may not answer that last one, but it will answer the others and many more besides.

First, let's set one rule.  You have got to be honest with yourself.  You know who you are supposed to love and you know you can try and justify not loving them, but you just have to do it anyway.  Scripture is clear in this one thing (that is actually two things), "Love God with everything at your disposal and love your neighbor just like you do yourself."  When asked to clarify the whole neighbor bit, Jesus made it pretty clear that a neighbor was anyone that is not you.  So the people included in the list of those we are supposed to love is pretty large.  I think the only ones left out are...hmmm, can't think of any right off hand but I will get back to you on that.

That being clear, how does knowing who we love answer these questions for us.  Perhaps it will help if we define love real quick.  Not an easy task, but let us start with what it is not.  Love is not about only liking those people who treat you well or bless you.  Love is not about your enjoyment.  Love is not about being satisfied with the circumstances of a relationship.  The best way i have come to understand love is to put others first in all situations.  1 Corinthians tells us that love does not seek its own and it is not puffed up.  Real love simply does not look to please itself.  Real love is about blessing others and lifting them up.  God is love.  Everything God does is motivated by His love for us.  He demonstrated that love for us by dying on the cross and suffering that shame on our behalf.  This is what love really is.

So, how do you figure out who you love?  Well, who do you lay down your life for?  Who do you seek to bless and get nothing in return from?  Who do you carry and not expect them to carry you?  I know, I know, who can do this?  I struggle myself.  I can't even love my wife perfectly.  Most often, I am more concerned about her loving me.  However, there are occasions when I am struck by a capacity to love her the way I have been called to and I let her have the last of my lemon cookies. 

Is it really that simple?  Yes, but make no mistakes about how hard it is.  Simple just means that it is not complicated.  It is extremely hard to love sometimes.  If it was easy, then we would not need Jesus to do it through us.  If it were easy, we could just love, love, love all day long and not break a sweat.  But love is a hard conscious decision to put someone else before yourself.  Not only that, we can grow in our love.  While it is a truly deep act of love to let my wife eat my special reserved lemon cookies, I could have just bought her some cookies that she enjoyed and not myself.  Or even better, I could have gotten cookies for the entire tri-state area (been watching Phineas and Ferb?).  Do you see how love is real in small steps and it gets more influential as you grow and increase in your capacity to love.

When you know who you love, it makes decisions so easy.  What do I do today?  If it helps me love, I am all for it.  I may need some clarification as to how to best go about it, but I know that if it does not help me love, then I should not be doing it.  Where should I go?  Why should I do what I'm doing when I get there?  What should I spend my money on?  Love is not just a great motive, it is a great guide.  Love not only covers over a multitude of sins in other people, it keeps you from those same sins yourself.  Kind of hard to be a selfish jerk when you are acting in love.

So, my prayer for the tri-state and Evansville today is that we would all grow in our capacity to love God and to love others.  As we become more like Jesus, we will learn to love like He did and that will set this region free from darkness.  May we be a people known by our love.